


a momentary bliss

by roquen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25265755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roquen/pseuds/roquen
Summary: Gellert and Albus and a broken nose.
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	a momentary bliss

**Author's Note:**

> Title from My Wild Sweet Love by First Aid Kit. JKR is a transphobe but I am not.

"I know can heal it," says Albus. "I've decided not to."

This pronouncement would sound more impressive if it weren't muffled by his swollen nose and the blood that still drips down onto his upper lip. Gellert grins like it's all a tremendous joke.

"I'll heal it."

"No thank you."

"A broken nose is a terrible badge of honour if you ask me," says Gellert, and goes in for a kiss, laughing against Albus' mouth when he winces in pain. The kiss lasts several seconds, until Gellert licks the blood off Albus' upper lip and leans back again to laugh harder. "At least let me straighten it."

"No," says Albus again.

"Suit yourself."

Albus takes his handkerchief from his pocket, the one his mother made him stitch with a stylised 'AD' in one corner, and ruins it mopping up the last of the blood. Then he sits there breathing through his mouth and thinking. Above the summer clouds are floating in small white puffs and the sky is so blue it burns his eyes. Gellert is looking down, trawling through the grass until suddenly he plucks a rather limp-looking daisy and draws his wand.

" _Diantheous_ ," he says, and with a quick gesture the daisy blooms and expands, putting out petals and changing shade until there's a fresh green carnation between his fingers. He sticks it in Albus' buttonhole and when Albus looks at him he laughs and laughs until they're both laughing and Albus' ribs hurt as much as his nose.

"Are you ready yet?" asks Gellert.

"No," says Albus. "Yes. Yes. But—"

"I'll come with you," says Gellert. He twirls his wand in his fingers, long artist's fingers. Albus can't stop looking at them.

"They'll try to keep me here. My mother especially."

"There's nothing they can do to stop you." Gellert smirks at him. "Besides, if you want we can come back when we've found the Hallows. You'll probably enjoy it then."

"Of course," says Albus, because it's easier to agree and because he wants Gellert to be right. It would be a marvellous thing to return home as the legendary Albus Dumbledore, leader of the Wizarding revolution.

But deep down he knows it's not going to happen. In his childhood home he will always be Ariana Dumbledore, hidden in an upstairs room and bent over embroidery while his mother takes tea downstairs with Bathilda and laments her only daughter's fragile health.

"Don't look like that," says Gellert. "I can handle your mother."

"She hates you."

"I know," says Gellert with satisfaction. "So does your squit of a brother, but I've been longing for an excuse to turn them both into toads. Then they can also be on the outside what they are on the inside."

Albus smiles even though it makes his nose ache more. The two of them get to their feet and brush grass off each other's jackets. Gellert steals another kiss, gently and carefully this time.

"Don't worry," he murmurs as their breath mingles. "If she touches you again I'll kill her."


End file.
